Corsendonk Christmas Ale

Brewed by Du Bocq
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Purnode-Yvoir, Belgium

750 ml bottle. Pours a very dark brown,slight amber hint, with a thick foamy beige head. Beautiful lacing. Aroma is winter spicy-nutmeg,cinnamon,clove,bread dough,molasses and a hint of fresh leather. Taste is spicy as well, with a malty nutmeg flavor as well as a clovy bready mix. Very tasty and one of the better Christmas beers that Ive had to date.

Clear deep ruby body with a small creamy tan head. Sweet spiced aroma with some light caramel. Light spiced flavor with some thin caramel.

Poured from 750 ml champagne-style bottle into a trappist glass. Nose is Christmas all around, with strong spices, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, orange zest. Taste reflects the nose, but gets a little disappointing about halfway through. Great taste, its probably just a preference thing.

Bottle. Christmas is close, and what other way to celebrate it with a good Christmas ale. And what a pleasant surprise this was as well. I am a fan of the other Corsendonk that I have tasted, and this ale defiantly has some of the same catachrestic. Still this was the highlight of the evenings tasting. Colour is very dark with the particles density being average, and initial appearance of head was average and creamy like and mostly lasting. Head colour was slightly light brown I thought, or though the light was not great in the bar we were sitting at. Some fairly good lacing could be observed in glass. Aroma was an array of different notes coming into play. Predominant notes being heavy malt and moderated yeast. Dark bread/Cereal, roasted, nuts, molasses, leather, earth, fruit. Some miscellaneous other notes was ripe banana, plum, raisin, date. Initial flavour was heavy sweet, with slight bitter notes in there as well. Medium to full bodied, with a very oily/creamy like texture. Carbonation was soft and finish feel was medium sweet, with surprisingly short duration. I really enjoyed this one, and I have a 75 cl. Bottle just waiting to be opened…can’t wait.

(Draught at The Rover, Göteborg) Clear dark red brown color, tan head. Fresh fruity and Belgian ale yeast scent. Thick mouthfeel. Apricot and banana fruity taste. Low bitterness.

You know how guys died in WWII and passed on their letters to loved ones on their deathbed? This is exactly what happened with this bastard. My buddy ordered this and couldn’t stand it...and for good reason. Way too medicinal in alcohol. Totally dominates everything. Syrupy sugar, alchohol and a little bit of hops. just not good at all. even compared to the couden carolous noel i had before it.

(Draught) Pours beautiful mahogny/red. Spicy, malty aroma with fruity and yeasty tones. Fresh nose with some wet stone and coctail berrys. Just a hint of chocolate. Medium sweet, pretty thick but silky mouthfeel with spices/herbs, marzipan and caramel. Medium body.

Dark brown color - slightly muddy - Aroma of raisins, dark malts - slightly winey. Flavor is fairly crisp with notes of dark malts, fruits and some light spice. Finish is clean - alcohol is masked.